How DUI’s Can and Will Affect Your Current Job & Career

Being charged with a DUI is an offense that will stick with you for years to come. If you were lucky enough to avoid injury to yourself and others, you may still face jail time, probation, fines, and higher insurance rates in the future. Your ability to find a new job or keep your current position may also be affected.

How DUI’s Affect Your Job

Your license may be suspended – If your license is suspended and you do not get an exemption from driving to and from work, you’ll need to hire a taxi, have a friend or family member chauffeur you around, or take public transportation back and forth. These options can get expensive, frustrating, and unreliable. If your job requires driving, you’ll be out of luck.

Time missed from the job – Imprisonment, court appearances, and any mandatory alcohol treatment will require time away from your job. Maybe your boss will be understanding if you have always been a stellar employee, however some companies may view your time away from work as excessive absenteeism.

Mandatory firing – Many employers have a policy that makes conviction of a crime the grounds for mandatory firing. If this is part of your employee handbook or contract, you may lose your job since companies with this policy usually require you to notify them immediately.

Your license may be affected – Many professional licenses require that any arrest be disclosed to the licensing agency. These requirements may include lawyers, nurses, doctors, therapists, government workers, and even plumbers. Depending on your state and the agency, your license could be revoked.

Your job application may not make it far along in the process – Some states don’t allow employers to ask about arrests and convictions, but most do. If you are a good candidate for the job based on your education and experience, your DUI will appear in public records and on your driver’s license records.

Your education may be jeopardized – Many college and university applications ask if you have any criminal convictions. Your financial aid may also be affected by your DUI. Some states require you to prove that you’ve gone through a treatment, or you may lose aid altogether.

Long-term penalty for commercial drivers – If you are a commercial driver, a DUI will stay on your commercial driving record for 55 years, meaning the possible end of your career.

A DUI conviction is more likely to impact individuals who are in between jobs. This is because employers often conduct background checks and convictions will show up on these reports.

Job seekers should be honest if the topic comes up during an interview. Make the interviewer feel at ease with regards to the accident by explaining the circumstances of the event. Share all the positive steps you have taken since the time of the accident.

You can avoid all of the above points by simply refusing to drink and drive. Call a friend, use a taxi app, or take public transportation.